Happy Halloween!

We celebrated Halloween quite a few times and the kids loved it all. Cali was a monkey for all the festivities. Katya ended up being Cinderella, Barbie Princess, and Belle. Tenzing wore the same pumpkin costume that the girls wore their first Halloween. Our Halloween festivities included a Halloween Carnival at Matt and Rebekah's ward, Katya's preschool Halloween party, Trick-or-Treating at Jethro's office, and our Ward Trunk-or-Treat. We didn't take the kids Trick-or-Treating last night because it was rainy, cold, and they already had enough candy. This year they really understood the concept of asking for candy and enjoyed it.

The sky after our Trunk-or-Treat. Perfect Halloween colors.

Like FAther, Like son

I walked into out bedroom a couple of weeks away and saw Jethro and Tenzing playing on the iPad. Jethro likes to teach them young. Now Tenzing loves the all Apple products and keeps trying to steal Katya's ipod.

Snowbird Tram Ride

We headed up to Snowbird Resort on Oct. 16 to ride the tram as part of their Customer Appreciation. You bring a can of food and get to ride the tram for free. Brie was in town and came along with us and brought her 2 cousins. We picked up Rebekah and Nya on the way and had a blast. It was a little cold at the top of the mountain, but it was a gorgeous view. We'll have to try and go again next year when the girls are a little taller and can see out of the tram windows.

Nya and Cali using Nya's rock book to figure out what rock Cali found.

Brie's Visit

We miss Mike and Brie so much and were really lucky that Brie came and visited for 5 days. The girls were so excited for her to be here. Tenzing was so excited also, despite his first meeting with Brie (He was so completely tired that he just screamed.) It was so fun to just hang out with Brie. We can't wait for her and Mike to come visit. Mississippi is just too far away :( .

Why am I so excited for this week?

1. Jethro's Birthday.
2. Snow.
3. Halloween.
4. Scrapbooksteals.com online scrap (or in the warehouse for locals!)
5. Grocery Shopping.
6. Closer to closing on the house!
7. Trunk-or-treat and chili cookoff.
   

Why am I so excited for this week?

1. Relief Society Super Saturday
2. Cougar Football
3. Scrapbooking
4. 1 week closer to closing on our house!
5. Preschool
6. Fall
7. Card Making
   

A Plea for Help!

As you probably know by now, we are buying a house!! Yippee!

Pictures

Obviously, the most important part! Here is a Picasa Web Album of the pics.

New House

The Problem

The house needs a bunch of work. We have gotten bids from a bunch of different contractors, but we don't know any of them, nor do we know anyone who has had them do work. Therefore, we don't know if they are reliable, fair, etc. We needed to get the bids done quickly, but we aren't married to these contractors, so if you are a contractor or know someone who is, we'd be interested in getting a bid, and would feel more comfortable going with someone we actually know.

The Heart of a Teacher

I am also interested in people who are willing to teach me how to do things that I do not know how to do, or that will let us save some $$$. For example, if a roofer were willing to "pay" me by reducing the cost if I help tear off the roof, and put new shingles on, I would be more excited to use that roofer, since I could save some money, and have a better idea of what is going wrong (if something ever does) in the future.

Professionals (Probably) Needed

So, there are some things that we need done professionally:

• Plumbing
• Roofing
• Electrician
• Sanitizing the house
• Extermination (not that there is anything there, just a precaution, really)
• Inside painting (finishing a drywalled but not finished basement)
• Outside painting or siding
• Concrete leveling

Why?

If you are reading this, you probably like my family, and want what is best for us. (If you read this blog, and don't like my family, or me, please stop: that is creepy.) I am hoping that you would send your friends or relatives or your contractors that specialize in these areas our way to give us a hand. I will send them bids that we have already so that they know what we are looking at price-wise and work-wise.

Time-Frame

We are hoping to close Oct. 22nd, and then the work MUST be completed within 45 days, but hopefully within a month. We'd love to have Thanksgiving dinner in our new place!

Contact

My email address is jethrojones at gmail, and my phone number is 801-7-JETHRO. You can have your professional give me a call or email me and tell me that they got the referral from you.

Put Your Shoulder to the Wheel

As you know, we have been living in an old man's basement for the last few years, and he has generously taught me a lot, because he is that kind of guy, but there is still much to learn. At this new house, we will need to:

• paint
• install new doorknobs and locks
• install banister tops
• paint
• fix rain gutters and downspouts
• install outlet covers
• do a lot of caulking
• clean up the yard (weeds mostly)
• move some dirt to remove a negative grade into the house
• get rid of a lot of junk that we think the previous owners will leave there
• sell a pool table (maybe)
• Install a new back basement door

...And a lot of other stuff that I don't even know about yet, I am sure. We love our friends, spending time with them, and, of course, we want to show off our new home. If you would like to spend some quality time with me and the Mrs., and help us do some of these things, leave a comment, drop an email, send a text, or call me. We'd love to spend some time working with you. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, but still want to help, let us know, too.

Thanks

Thanks in advance for your help, and if nothing else, we'll take plenty of prayers. Plenty of prayers got us the "purple house" and we are very grateful for that.

Why am I so excited for this week?

1. BYU Football
2. Brie is coming to town! Finally!!!
3. Fall Break
4. Scrapbooking
5. Finding jeans that actually fit.
6. My blog is caught up, until tomorrow.
7. We are buying a house!
8. Autumn Cheesecake- Yum!
   

8 months

Notes:

• Army crawling maniac.
• You learned to go from laying down to sitting yourself up on the 8th. It makes you so much happier.
• You've got your bottom two teeth!
• You love to eat cereal puffs.
• You definitely prefer your mommy if she is around over other people.
• You are a great eater.
• You have no problem getting around the house and have no fear of anything.
• You hate being left alone.
• You have started to pose for the camera. When I go to take a picture, you stop what you're doing and just smile at me.
• You are starting to pull yourself up.
• You still love to wrestle.
  

Parker and Tenzing

The cute little boy cousins got together this weekend while Gideon and Becky were in town for a wedding. They mostly stared at each other and played separately. Hopefully when they are older they'll play together.

Cougars fan through and through

Even though the season hasn't been the best, he is still a loyal fan. Oh yeah, and he's quite mobile and keeps trying to eat the camera every time I try to get a picture.

Wheeler Farm Revisited

The day Cali came back from her big trip was my Mom's birthday. We went out to dinner and then headed to our favorite, Wheeler Farm. My parent's had never been so it was fun to take them. The kids had so much fun, as usual.

Katya could do this all day

My mom with Mr. T

Mr. T is all smiles

This little goat was so cute and the girls loved it

This man is totally awesome. Totally looks like a picture from Northern Europe

Jethro took this pic that proves that I am actually at some of these events

My parents with the kids

Traditional feeding of the geese and ducks

Love this two pics of Katya. She just gives the best looks.

Tenzing likes to eat people,especially daddy.

You wouldn't be our child if...

.... You didn't have a bath picture in the kitchen sink (Still don't have a bathtub, but we are oh so close.)

Cali's Big Trip

Months ago my parent's told the girls that when they go potty-trained they could go on trips with grandma and grandpa. Well, Cali's chance to go on a trip came Sept. 22-25. She was so excited! I was afraid I would have to convince her to go so I started talking about it a couple weeks before hand. Let's just say she needed no convincing and talked about her big trip for two weeks straight. She made sure to tell us "Katya you stay home and go to school. Mommy and Tenzing you stay home. Daddy stay home. I go on a trip by myself." She is a riot! There were no tears shed when my parents came and got her and she didn't miss us one bit. She had so much fun playing, being spoiled, and getting one-on-one attention. After she gt back, all she would talk about was her big trip and grandpa' big truck. She got really upset when my parents left because they didn't take her with them. My parent's said she behaved really well and didn't even care that we weren't there. We are so glad that she had such a fun time and grateful to my parents for taking Cali on a little trip.